Join us for a visit with some of our favorite authors whose books we love to read and share with everyone. You'll get to hear from authors who've become friends over the years, authors we're just discovering, and lots of prizes and books to win!

Pages

Monday, January 30, 2012

I Love My Character, and I Hope She Loves Me

Hello all! Darynda Jones here, author of the Charley
Davidson series. Leena Hyat of Tote Bags ‘n Blogs was gracious enough to invite
me as a guest on her blog, and I’m so happy to be here. Thanks, Lee, for having
me, and thanks readers for being here.

Tomorrow is January 31, and the third edition of the Charley
Davidson series will be released. I’m excited. There are butterflies in the pit
of my stomach. I love Charley, and I love having the glorious opportunity to write
her stories. It’s a blast being able to
share her with others, knowing that some readers out there have as much love
for her as I do.

As a character, I could not have asked for a better person
to come through from divine inspiration. If I could interact with one of my
characters for real, it would be Charley. I would love to have the opportunity
to hang out with her. I can only begin to imagine the wicked danger she would
get me into. She would scare me, but we would be fast, lifelong buddies.

Charley is one of those characters that comes along at a
time when you need her most. I was determined to live out my destiny and
calling of being an author. What to write, though? Who to write about? I knew
in order to gain the attention of the NY literary world I would have to come up
with a spectacular female lead.

Now, some people have heard the story of Charley’s “birth.”
I was lying in bed, waiting for my turn at the shower. I was daydreaming and
under the woozy influence of menthol vapors steaming from my bedside vaporizer.
I was wondering about my heroine. Then she came to me, like a thief in the
night. Only it was daytime, and all she stole was my heart. I have been on
cloud nine ever since.

I love writing about Charley. I feel honored to have been
chosen to tell her stories. She has a vibrancy and a nuance about her. Awww.
Who am I kidding? She’s loads of fun. She’s a hoot. Not too many people, err,
characters could be referred to as: smart-ass, child-like, severely ADD,
schizoid, hilarious, dangerous, possibly violent and yet, fun-loving and
kind-hearted.

And I don’t want to give any spoilers, but let me ask you
this. How many people do you know continue to push their luck with a pack of
guard dogs at an abandoned mental institution just for the sake of names? Who
else but Charley would flagrantly flaunt her gnarly trespassing “skills” to an
outlaw biker gang just to go visit some ghost buddy who hangs out at this same
mental institution? I know the neighborhood this old building sits in. Believe
me. Not many people want to hang out there. Would you want to rumble with the
Son of Satan? Would you pursue a murderer or two, putting your life at risk for
the sake of a client? Charley does.

Some of you may be wondering about my mental health. I realize
I am talking about Charley as though she were a real, live person. Maybe you’re
extending to me the excuse of being a highly imaginative writer. Having minored
in psychology for my bachelor’s degree, I understand you could argue that
Charley’s simply an extension of my personality. I know full well she could be
a way of allowing myself the privilege of letting my inner child to come forth,
or my inner psycho, or my inner coffee drinker (Sadly, I’m relegated to decaf
right now, folks).

I know Charley’s not real, but I think she’s awesome. We’ve
had some fun together, her and I. The last three years I have spent with
Charley in my life have been truly amazing, and I expect the experience to
continue on. She has at least two more stories to look forward to. Me, that is.
For me to look forward to because I truly love telling her stories. Aww. Good
times. Good times. Thanks Charley.

And thank you all so very much! I’ve enjoyed talking about
Charley from a writer’s POV. I have two more things I’d like to share. First,
I’m giving away a signed, hardcover of Third Grave Dead Ahead to one winner, so
good luck, all! Second, how is a winner determined? Get on the Tote Bags ‘n
Books comment board and answer this question. A winner will be chosen from one
of the participants this evening.

So answer this: Which literary character would you like to
spend the day with in their world? I would love to know what everyone’s answer
to that is. It tells a lot about the reader. Ha ha.

***Candie is the winner for the hardcover of Third Grave Dead Ahead!! Congratulations! Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your full name and mailing address!***

What a wonderful post today. Charley sounds unique and special and your books are memorable. I would like to spend time with Atticus Finch. A man who is a real man, when men were men, who has values and principles and is to be admired. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Charley certainly is enterprising, brave and gutsy. Congratulations on greating this character. Someone with whom I could spend hours and days with would be Anne of Green Gables. Her personality is so wonderful and appealing. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

Thank you guys so much!!! You have mentioned some fantastic characters. Mr. Darcy makes me drool. lol And Atticus Finch is awesome. I've been wanting to read about Thursday Next. I'll have to get on those. As well as Kitty and Riley. I love Anne too.

Anywho, I digress. Thanks all!! OH! And mine would probably be Elizabeth Bennet. And maybe catch a glimpse of Mr. Darcy in the process. lol

So I love Charlie, but not sure I want to spend my day dodging bullets and worrying about why Mr. Wong is stuck in his timeout LOLHonestly I would love to spend my day with...mmmm..this is hard. I would say: Mick from the Storm Walker series... *melt*

Being an avid reader this question is so hard to answer! ACK! I would have to go with Claire Fraiser from the Outlander Series. She's my favorite heroine of all the books I've read. I also have a soft spot for Marianne in Austen's Sense and Sensibility.

I'm looking forward to reading your books and learning more about Charley.

I'd love to spend the day with Jennifer Estep's Gin Blanco. Not only is she an awesome assassin, but she's a heck of a cook. Just reading about some of the dishes she makes starts my mouth watering. So hopefully, she'd do some cooking for me that day. :D

I'd love to be Agatha Christie's Jane Marple. She was always such an insightful person or a member of Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation because any of her characters have an interesting love story. I love the character of Charley.

I don't think I would. Knowing my luck I would be branded as a witch or harlot because of some outlandish comment, the way I dressed or any similar indiscretion. I can see myself a victim of circumstance & mis-happenings.I know it's just for the day, but I'm not game to chance it.

I would love to spend the day with Finn from Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassins. He's a wonderful flirt and it would be fun just to flirt with him -- and maybe go past the flirting LOL!contestmom AT hotmail DOT com

I know this might sound strange but I would love to hang out with Joe Morelli from the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. He sounds so cool and handsome! Your Charley stories are awesome cool! I definitely can't wait to read your new book!

I would love to hang out with Roarke from JD Robb's In Death series. He is a very intriguing man and Eve is very lucky to have him. Of course he's pretty lucky to have her too. I'm a big fan of that series.